Automatic torpedo-placing device for railroads.



No. 849,332. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907. W. H. KELLEY. AUTOMATIC TORPEDOPLACING DEVICE FOR RAILROADS. APPLICATION FILED PEB.15, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

W. H. KELLEY.

AUTOMATIC TORPBDO PLACING DEVICE FOR RAILROADS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1907.

2 SHBETSSHEIT 2.

\VILLIAM I-I. KELLEY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

AUTOMATIC TORFEDO-PLACING DEVICE FOR RAILROADS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907'.

Application filed February 15,1907. Serial No. 357,482.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM H. KELLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city and county of Denver and State of 0010- rado, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic .lorpedo-Placing Devices for Railroads; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to a device for automatically placing torpedoes ona railwaytrack for the purpose of notifying those in charge of the trainthat the track in the vicinity is in a dangerous condition due to theburning or washing away of a bridge or culvert or the destruction of thetrack by reason of ,any accident or mishap.

The invention is more especially intended for use in connection with thetrack on both sides of bridges or culverts which are liable to be burnedor washed away.

Generally considered, the invention comprises two torpedoplacing deviceslocated on opposite sides of the bridge and normally inactive by reasonof a connection between the two devices, which connection, however, hasa fusible or readily-breakable portion which will be disrupted by thedestruction of the bridge or culvert, in which event the torpedoplacingdevices, which are spring-actuated, automatically place a torpedo uponthe track on each. side of the bridge. These devices should be located asuitable distance from the bridge or culvert to give the engineer timeto stop the train before reaching the point of danger.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, as well as the objectit is intended to perform, I will proceed to describe the same indetail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which isillustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a section ofrailroad-track, showing my improved torpedo-placing devices in positionfor use, the casing of the device in each case being shown in horizontalsection. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the track, showing one of thetorpedoplacing devices on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a similar viewshowing the device in a different positionthat is to say, in theposition after it has placed a torpedo upon the track. Fig. 4 is across-section taken through one of the devices in a direc tion cuttingone of the track-rails transversely, the device being shown in the sameposition as in Fig. 3.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a section of track. The two lines 6,extending transversely of the track, may be understood to indicate theextremities of a bridge or culvert. On each side of this bridge orculvert is locatcd a casing 7, in which is located a bell-crank-leverdevice 8, fulcrumed at 9 and having two arms 10 and 12. The arm 10 isconnected, by means of a spring 14, with a stationary lug 13. The arms10 of the two devices are connected by a wire or other suitable devicehaving afusible and readilybreakable portion. WVhen this connectingwire15 is intact, it holds the two devices in the position shown in Fi s. 1and 2, in which event the spring 14 is distended or placed undertension. Upon the outer extremity of the arm 12 of each lever is locateda torpedo 16. The extremity of the arm carrying the torpedo is alsoprovided with adepending flange 17, bent at right angles to the body ofthe arm, the said flange occupying a position close to the rail when thetorpedo is in place. \Vithin the casing is also located averticallymovable spring-actuated dog or pawl 18,

having one beveled face adapted to be acted on by the arm 12 of thelever when the latter is thrown to the torpedo-placing position. (SeeFig. 3.) As soon as the arm 12 has reached the last-named position thedog moves upwardly in the rear of the arm and locks the said arm againstthe return movement. The said arm is prevented from moving too far inthe opposite direction, or that shown in the direction of the arrow inFigs. 2 and 3, by the flange 17, which engages the rail of the track andprevents further movement under the influence of the springs tension.

The rail or other connecting device 15 is passed through a sheath or protcctingtube or pipe 19, mounted upon the ties and secured in place bysuitable fastening devices 21. Each casing 7 is closed, except on theinside or on the side toward the track-rail, where it is open to allowthe lever-arms to move freely in the performance of their function. Eachcasing 7 is secured to the ties of the track in any suitable manner, asby tastening devices 22. V

From.the foregoing description the use and operation of my improveddevice will be readily understood. Assuming that the two de vices are inthe position shown in Fig. 1, the lever-arms 10 being connected, underthese circumstances it the bridge should burn the heat acting on theprotecting tube or pipe 19 will be suflicient to fuse or melt thefusible ortion of the connecting device 15, thus reeasing the arms 10,in which event the springs 14, acting on the said arms, would throw thelever to the position illustrated in Fig. 3, whereby the torpedo 16 ofeach device would be placed upon one rail of the track. In moving tothis posit-ion the arm 12 engages and depresses the pawl or dog 18 andpasses over the same after the said dog returns to its normal positionand. locks the arm in the torpedo-placing position, thus preventing thereturn of the arm for any reason. Now again if the bridge or culvertshould be washed away by a flood the connecting device 15 would bebroken, in which event the torpedoes would be placed upon the track, asjust explained. Now if a train approaches the location of the destroyedbridge or culvert the torpedo will be exploded by the train and thetrainmen notified that there is danger ahead in time to stop the train,and thus prevent accidents.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an automatictorpedo-placing device for railroads, the combination with a suitablecasing, of a bell-crank-lever device, one arm of which is provided witha torpedo, a spring connected with the other arm, and normally having atendency to throw the torpedo-arm toward the rack-rail and into positionto place the torpedo upon the rail, and a readilydestructible deviceconnected with the springarm and normally holding the device in suchposition as to prevent the torpedo-arm from approaching the rail.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a bell-crank leversuitably tulcrumed, one arm of the lever carrying a torpedo, and aspring connected with. the other arm and normally having a tendency tothrow the torpedo-arm toward the track, and means connected with thespring-arm for holding the torpedo-arm away from the track, the saidmeans being readily destructible, substantially as described.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of twospring-actuated torpedoplacing devices located at a suitable distancefrom the extremities of a bridge, culvert, or other danger-point, and areadily-destructible connection between the two devices whereby they areheld inactive as long the said connection remains intact, substantiallyas described.

4. The combination with a railroad-track, oi a spring-actuatedtorpedo-placing device located in the vicinity of the track, and adestructible connection with the said device whereby the same is held inthe inactive po sition until the said connection is destroyed or broken.

5. The combination with a railroad-track, of two spring-actuatedlever-like torpedoplacing devices located in the vicinity of the trackand at a suitable distance from the opposite ends of the bridge, culvertor other danger-point, and a destructible connection between the twolever-like devices whereby they are held inactive as long as the destructible device remains intact, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

XVILLIAM H. KELLEY.

lVitnesses:

A. J. OBRIEN, l\[AY VVILLIAMS.

